One of the jobs I really don’t like
There are a few things in life that I really don’t like doing… phoning call centres, ironing shirts, darning, mending ripped clothes, replacing zips and pressure washing the greenhouse. It is amazing how much vacuuming I can find to do when there is a shirt to be ironed or a problem with a credit card to be sorted out.
Today, however, I had another job to do that I don’t like. In fact, it’s been looming over me for months (since July), but because the deadline wasn’t until next January, I didn’t actually have to get it sorted out. However, I build up a reserve of guilt that eventually forces me into action. So, today was the day – I had no editing to do (well, none arrived until lunch time) and I was starting to feel stressed that this particular job still needed doing. So, bribing myself with chocolate covered coffee beans (thank you Mr Snail) and the promise of a glass or two of wine this evening, I embarked on my marking.
I love teaching adults, but much of my work is for the local university and this means that I have to set my learners assignments which subsequently need marking. The courses are funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and they insist on seeing evidence of learning… which means written assessed work. For me, evidence of learning is the look on my students’ faces when they realise that they understand a particular concept, or hearing them applying principles we have discussed to a situation that’s relevant to their life, or listening whilst they explain a concept to another learner, or seeing information applied in a new context. But that’s not quantifiable, so is not good enough for HEFCW.
A different sort of worksheet
And so, today I marked. Some of the work took the form of essays, but that was in the minority… I try to be a bit more creative about the assignments that I set and so my marking included looking at graphs, diagrams, worksheets and mindmaps. I have been particularly pleased with a mindmapping exercise which comprises a colourful basic mindmap that learners add their ideas to in any format they want. I know that this sort of assessment is a long way from traditional approaches, but I also know that it suits many learners much better than asking them to construct a linear discussion. Apart from anything else, I like formative assessments – activities that add to the learning process rather than summative assessments – which are just memory tests, asking learners to regurgitate what they have been told.
Unfortunately, however creative I am with the assignments that I set, they still have to be marked and I still don’t enjoy they process. Ah well, it’s done for the time being and so I can now reward myself with a glass of Chardonnay and some Bavarian crochet.
The Snail of Happiness 
thecontentedcrafter
/ November 19, 2014I have never regretted leaving teaching and the endless marking of assessments that prove nothing except your students can regurgitate facts and cram for exams! Real education happens exactly as you described. When I was teacher training it was such a big lesson to me to discover that almost 100% of the trainees who arrived with degrees and letters had no empathy and no understanding of relating to children. They had all the theory, all the good intentions – but were woefully lacking in classroom skills of the most basic kind – and common sense! But send in an adult who had little or no university experience [but who had been through the ‘university of life’ so to speak] and we had a zinger! Not always – but that was the definite trend! Says a lot about our educational system I think.
Congrats on getting it done and enjoy your chardonnay! And Bavarian 🙂
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wscottling
/ November 19, 2014Every job has something unpleasant about it. 🙂 I hate weaving in the ends when it comes to knitting/crocheting, but it has to be done, right? At least you got yours done. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 19, 2014Too true… I wouldn’t give up teaching just because I hate marking!
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davidprosser
/ November 19, 2014Well done for getting it behind you again.
xxx Hugs Galore xxx
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 20, 2014… until the next time… I always promise myself I will try to do it straight away… and always fail!
xxx hugs xxx
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gentlestitches
/ November 20, 2014Cheers! “Clink” and high five! ❤
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 20, 2014Cheers!
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KerryCan
/ November 21, 2014You remind me of all my years as a college prof, reading papers and listening to student speeches! I loved seeing what the students came up with . . . i just hated grading them! I also found it the easiest thing in my whole world to procrastinate on!
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narf77
/ November 21, 2014Talk to Stevie-boy about phoning call centres. He was on the phone for 40 minutes (after being told by a machine that the wait was 20 minutes) only to be cut off when the call went through…another 40 minutes later he managed to get through to an operator…Marking eh? We are on the other side of “marking” and I wish you were our lecturer ;). We have passed our course but no thanks to an AWOL lecturer who really could have cared less. At least you mark your students work and want to teach them something! You deserve that Chardonnay and those chocolate coffee beans as well 🙂
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Moke
/ November 22, 2014I am not a certificated teacher – unless you count the Workers’ Educational Association certificate I have in “Adult Teaching in a Community Environment” – but I have on odd occasions ‘taught’. While in the formal educational structure of a further ed college the marking reduced me to tears. So I completely empathise with your displacement activity. One of the happiest points in my life was when my children decided to leave school and become autonomous learners. It was the biggest and best learning curve for all of us … and there was no marking involved. Whoooppppeeeee. All the best, Moke xx
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